This application claims Paris Convention priority of DE 199 19 228 filed Apr. 28, 1999 the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The invention concerns a maintenance unit for the treatment of compressed air.
A plurality of maintenance units are known in the art. WO-A-96 38 671 discloses a maintenance unit comprising several modules. The compressed air is treated in each of the modules. The modules comprise e.g. filters, regulators, dehumidifiers, lubricators etc., wherein each module has its own housing and the modules communicate with another via corresponding connections. Maintenance units of this kind are robust, but require a relatively large amount of space.
It is the underlying purpose of the invention to provide a maintenance unit which requires little space.
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by a housing-free maintenance unit for treating compressed air which comprises at least two connecting pieces which can be inserted into or pushed onto the free ends of compressed air transporting pipes and which comprises a flange disposed between the two connecting pieces for additional external devices, wherein the operating elements of the maintenance unit are disposed, without a housing, within the connecting pieces and the flange.
The maintenance unit in accordance with the invention does not have a housing and the space it would require is thereby saved. The operating elements are inserted directly into the pipe ends such that the pipe ends form the housing for the operating elements.